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The Hamptons Union, February 15, 1923

Hampton News

Mrs. Vianna Marston is seriously ill.

The committee in charge of hot lunches which are being served the school children would like some of the ladies to assist them. Anyone willing to help in this work please notify Mrs. Warren or Mrs. Toppan.

Henry Hobbs is one of the victims of the present epidemic of influenza.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles M. Batchelder are both ill with severe colds.

Mrs. C. S. Toppan has received the case of confectionary which she will sell for the benefit of the piano fund. Those who have ordered boxes please take it as soon as possible.

Miss Marion Dexter was a week-end guest in Boston.

The Mothers' Circle will meet with Mrs. C. S. Toppan on Wednesday, Feb. 21. The hostesses are Mrs. Toppan and Mrs. Walter Brown.

The Whist Club will be entertained on February 22 by Mrs. John A. Janvrin

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Brooks and William Brooks are home from their western trip.

Mrs. C. S. Toppan and Miss Olive Bradbury were in Haverhill Saturday.

John A. Janvrin and son Alfred have returned from a very pleasant trip through Florida.

They met many of the Hampton people who are wintering in the South and made a special trip to W. F. Thayer's orange orchard 30 miles below Miami.

Mrs. Thomas Hobbs has returned from Detroit and reports her son well on the road to recovery from an attack of pneumonia.

The regular meeting of the Men's Club will be held in the Chapel next Monday evening in charge of the Executive Committee. Matters of local interest will be discussed. All members try and be present.

Mrs. Emma Young is in Hampton Falls where she was called last week by the illness of her daughter, Mrs. J. D. L. Janvrin.

Among the articles which have been donated toward lunches for the school children are onions, marshmallow cream and ½ dozen silver spoons. Further contributions are invited.

John W. Perkins was home from Harvard over the week-end.

The drama and dance that was to be given by the Aktatitani Girls on February 13 is postponed until February 22. We will have with us that night the well known Whitman's Orchestra from Portsmouth. Every one come and enjoy themselves with us.

The Frances-Willard Memorial meeting will be held at the home of Mrs. H. G. Lane on Friday afternoon at 2:30 p. m. The meeting is open to all that are interested in the work of the W. C. T. U. A silver offering will be taken. Refreshments served.

The bad traveling which has prevailed the past two months has been enough to discourage all kinds of functions being held and of course church attendance has likewise been diminished, but the pastor who is unselfish and is willing to put as much time and thought into a sermon when he knows he is likely to have a small audience is to be commended for his diligence and faithfulness. A sermon preached by Rev. G. W. Clark on Sunday morning was of great merit and one that could be easily imagined being heard in any of our great cities. In the sermon on "The Prodigal Son" in the evening, there were many new side lights thrown upon the passage that the hearers have seldom, if ever, heard. People who claim church membership there, go next Sunday. You will miss something if you stay away. It will help the pastor to see you there but most of all it will help you.

Mr. Frederick A. Briggs, a resident of Hampton on the road to North Beach, died suddenly Sunday from an attack of heart failure. He has had several fainting spells recently and was again attacked while in E. G. Cole's periodical store Saturday afternoon. Dr. Fernald was called and the patient was later taken to his home where he died the following day. The deceased was born in Claremont 58 years ago but was a resident of Beverly, Mass., until he came to Hampton six or seven years ago. He married Miss Bessie Palmer, who survives him. The funeral was held at the Congregational Chapel this afternoon, conducted by the Rev. George W. Clark. William Brown was the undertaker in charge.

Much sympathy is felt for the Community Nurse, Mrs. Alys G. Hemingway, who, on Saturday last, had the misfortune to fall and fracture both bones of the left leg. She was in the Co-op grocery store when she was called to give first aid in an emergency case in E. G. Cole's periodical store, where Mr. Fred Briggs was stricken with heart failure, and in crossing the sidewalk in front of the Co-op she slipped backward on glare ice submerged in water. Dr. Fernald was called to attend her and found the damage done was a fracture ¾ through the large bone of the leg, two inches above the ankle and complete fracture of the heel, splintering off a section. On Sunday Mrs. E. G. Cole and Mrs. C. S. Toppan accompanied her to the Anna Jaques hospital, where she now is. Dr. Toppan of the hospital promises her an ultimate recovery with no permanent disability. Until her return Mrs. Hemingway will be greatly missed in Hampton and especially at this time when her work in conducting the hot lunches for school children was invaluable.

Parent-Teacher Association:

At the meeting of the Parent-Teacher Association on Monday evening much interest in the business at hand was manifest. After the reading of the Secretary's report the Treasurer gave a verbal report which was accepted.

Satisfaction was expressed at the way the committee in charge with Mrs. Hemingway had handled the noon day lunches at the school. At the suggestion of the committee two ladies were appointed to assist in this very important work. Mr. Donald was elected to care for the financial end of this. To some who were present it was a surprise to learn that children coming from a distance, who ordinarily eat a cold lunch were supplied with both hot food and drink for the small sum of three cents. This work was highly commended.

It appeared from a statement concerning the piano that the Association lacked about $67.00 of having completed paying for it. The support given the Association in this particular is appreciated and both the school and the community are profited. This is another proof that when we work together we can have what we need.

A committee was appointed to prepare and send to Mrs. Hemingway suitable resolutions of sympathy and appreciation; also to send a token of remembrance in the form of cut flowers or a potted plant. We believe the committee decided to send the plant.

Several discussed the moving picture machine which was used at the last meeting and the possibility of securing one to complete the equipment of our school building. The necessity of such a machine was stressed from the standpoint of protection and education. Motion pictures are a factor in the life of our community and a very potent one in the education of the child. The power for good or ill depends entirely on the nature of the pictures shown. For our own good and for the future citizenship of Hampton we ought to control this factor. More and more schools are being equipped with machines and films, prepared under the direction of our best psychologists and pedagogues, are being used effectively to teach subjects in all grades of school life. The educational world recognizes in the motion picture one of the strongest allies in its art. Why should Hampton --- with its modern school house --- be behind in this particular? The character and future citizenship of Hampton are of more consequence than any reasonable expense and no machine we could buy would compare with one misdirected life. The principal consideration of commercialized pictures is the financial advantage. When the best authorities tell us the brain retains 65 per cent of that which is received through the eye and only 35 per cent of that which is received through the ear, why should Hampton children not see the best? We can control this now for a small sum of money but later we may not be able to control it at any price What is far better we can now control the formation of character in a large measure while in a few years it will be practically beyond our power to mould.

This discussion led to the appointing of a committee to meet with the school committee to discuss the possibility of a motion picture machine being provided for in the annual budget. It was suggested that possibly the Men's Club might also be interested to appoint a committee for this same purpose.

The resignation of Mrs. Langley as vice president of the Association was accepted and Mr. Barker was elected to this office.

The meeting adjourned until the first Monday evening in March at 7:30 o'clock, because of some interference with the regular date.

Mr. Herbert Marston, who was recently called to Hampton by the death of his father, Otis H. Marston, started back this morning for Decatur, Alabama.

Miss Adeline C. Marston, one of the teachers in the Centre School building, has been confined to her home several days this week by a severe cold.

There were no sessions in the schools on Tuesday and Wednesday on account of the drifted snow.

The Street railway to Exeter is again being shoveled out and it is hoped that cars will be running again soon.

Harry I. Noyes has a contract to replace the Fleming building in Exeter which was recently destroyed by fire. He also has men at work on the Emerson house at North Beach and has other work in view.